)
Your hands are one of the hardest-working parts of your body. You wash, scrub, tap, click away on your gadgets, and do everything else with them except caring for them. Between sun exposure, rough detergents, sanitisers, and skipping the right creams, your hard-working hands are getting dingy, sunken, cracked, and a few years older than the rest of you.
This article highlights five surprising habits that damage your hands, from constant washing to exposure to harsh elements. It also offers practical solutions and hand care products—hand creams, gentle soaps, and moisturisers—to help you restore your hands to a soft and supple appearance and texture.
1. You’re Overwashing with Harsh Soaps
These days, everyone’s doing the 20-second hand-wash marathon. We often wash and sanitise our hands between bathroom breaks, food prep, and other activities. Cleanliness is great, but if your go-to soap is a strong antibacterial or detergent bar, you’re stripping away your skin’s natural oil barrier. The result? Tight, flaky hands that probably itch and burn.
How to Fix It
Switch to a mild, pH-balanced hand wash that foams without that squeaky-clean, dry feeling. After drying, generously apply a rich hand cream to lock in moisture.
Best Hand Wash and Cream For You
)
)
)
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Its super-gentle base makes it suitable as a hand wash or body cleanser, saving you money on a separate hand wash.
Price: ₦22,325. Where to Buy: Shop TOS Nigeria.
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
It deeply moisturises and is perfect for sensitive skin because it doesn’t contain artificial fragrance.
Price: ₦5,800. Where to Buy: Shop Allure Beauty Store.
2. You Skip Sunscreen on Your Hands
While you’re busy layering SPF 50 for your face, your hands are left out of the care and pampering. UV rays don’t mess around: they darken, age, and cause brown spots that reveal your real age before your face does.
How to Fix It
Keep a broad-spectrum hand cream or a multi-use sunscreen that you can swipe on your hands every morning—or whenever you’re out.
Best Sunscreen For Your Hands
Eucerin Sun Protection Cream SPF 50+
It is non-greasy, fragrance-free, and water-resistant.
Price: ₦29,900. Where to Buy: Shop Buy Better.
3. Scalding Water Feels Good Until It Burns Your Skin
Hot showers and steaming dishes might feel great, especially during the cold season, but heat damages your skin barrier and makes it feel “paper-thin” (you know…delicate and fragile) and sensitive.
How to Fix It
When washing hands or dishes, use lukewarm water. Pat—or better yet, air-dry—and immediately follow up with a repair cream.
Best Repair Cream for Your Hands
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Hand Cream
Cocoa butter and vitamin E are sheer delights for dry hands. This hand cream heals and softens the skin, preventing cracked hands.
Price: $4.49. Where to Buy: Shop Amazon.
4. You Dry Your Hands But Forget to Moisturise
Many people tuck their hands away after washing and drying them, and then forget about them until nighttime lotion application. That time in between can lead to dryness, cracking, and uncomfortable skin.
How To Fix It
Adopt a “wash-and-lotion” mantra. I keep a small bottle of oil in my bag so I remember to apply it immediately after washing my hands. You can keep it as a visual cue in other places, like your pocket, desk drawer, or sink.
Best Moisturising Cream for Your Hands
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Hand Cream
If you're looking for a dry hand remedy, this hand cream combines Oat extract with ceramides to soothe, protect skin barriers, and deeply moisturise the skin. This is perfect as soaps strip oil off the skin.
Price: $14.32. Where to Buy: Shop Amazon.
5. You Use Harsh Cleaning Agents Without Gloves
Cleaning agents—bleach, laundry powder, and dish soap—contain chemicals that can irritate, strip oils, inflame skin, and even cause dermatitis.
How To Fix It
Glove up with reusable rubber or nitrile gloves. After chores, rinse off any residue, pat dry, and then apply a barrier cream.
Best Products To Buy
Multipurpose Nitrile Gloves (Pair)
It is chemical-resistant, reusable, and offers a comfortable grip.
Price: ₦2,150. Where to Buy: Shop GZ Industrial Supplies.
Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Hands Stronger Nails Hand Cream
Petroleum jelly rebuilds the barrier. The bonus is that it strengthens nails.
Price: ₦6,000. Where to Buy: Shop Girly Essentials.
The hands that apply your skincare and body care products to the face and body also deserve some tender, loving care. These simple daily habits, handcare tips, and the right products can significantly impact the health of your hands, keeping them soft, healthy, and youthful.